1. group: a group of people or organizations joined together for a purpose form an association to represent dairy farmers
2. connection: a linking or joining of people or things She hasn't profited from her association with him.
3. coming together: coming together and social interaction between people freedom of association
4. psychology psychological connection: a connection of ideas, memories, or feelings with each other, or with events. See also free association (sense 2)
5. linked idea: a thought, idea, or feeling that is linked with an event
6. chemistry grouping of molecules: the formation of groups of loosely bound molecules
7. ecology grouping of organisms: a major ecological community dominated by one or more species, e.g. oak and hickory in a deciduous forest